Income Protection Calculator

How much income protection cover do you need?

Income protection replaces part of your income if you're unable to work due to illness or injury, paid monthly until you return to work, retire, or the policy ends. Insurers almost always cap the benefit, commonly around 60% of your gross income, so returning to work still pays more than staying on the policy. This calculator compares that typical cap with your monthly essential outgoings and recommends whichever is lower, since there's little point insuring more than you actually need to cover the bills. It also suggests a deferred period, how long you wait after becoming unable to work before payments start, based on how many months your employer's sick pay and your own savings could bridge the gap. A longer deferred period usually costs less because you're covering less risk yourself. This is a starting point for a conversation with a regulated adviser, not personal advice.